Bastille was an old fortress prison which was long seen as a symbol of the king's absolute authority. July 14, 1789 was the day of its destruction. People of Paris joined together to create an angry mob who obtained 30 000 muskets from the Invalides fortress. Then they had moved on to Bastille where they met the governor of Bastille, Count de Launey. The mob attacked the small group of soldiers and demanded arms and freedom for the prisoners they believed were being held within the Bastille prison. Count de Launey surrendered to the demands of the mob. Upon entering the prison, the mob had realized that the prison was only housing 7 prisoners and there was no large storehouse of weaponry. King Louis XVI responded to this event by ordering his troops back to the provinces and recalling Necker. The fall of Bastille and the growing power of the National Assembly helped the revolution gain momentum.
Bastille was an old fortress prison which was long seen as a symbol of the king's absolute authority. July 14, 1789 was the day of its destruction. People of Paris joined together to create an angry mob who obtained 30 000 muskets from the Invalides fortress. Then they had moved on to Bastille where they met the governor of Bastille, Count de Launey. The mob attacked the small group of soldiers and demanded arms and freedom for the prisoners they believed were being held within the Bastille prison. Count de Launey surrendered to the demands of the mob. Upon entering the prison, the mob had realized that the prison was only housing 7 prisoners and there was no large storehouse of weaponry. King Louis XVI responded to this event by ordering his troops back to the provinces and recalling Necker. The fall of Bastille and the growing power of the National Assembly helped the revolution gain momentum.